Electrically propelled truck



Aug. 8, 1944. M. s. CLAY ELECTRICALLY PROPELLED TRUCK Filed Feb.

4 Sheets-Sheet l IHIIII "Hl Aug. 8, 1944. M. G. cLAY 2,355,148

ELECTRICALLY PROPELLED TRUCK Filed Feb. 19, 1943 Y 4 She etS-Sheet Z I iJ! w Aug. 8, 1944. M. G. CLAY ELECTRICALLY PROPELLED TRUCK v Filed Feb.19, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 jfzae 25 7 Jill/ray 6: C

w M W 3, 1944- M. G. CLAY 2,355,148

ELECTRICALLY PROPELLED TRUCK E 1 a 3! I Filed Feb. 19, 1943 Sheets-Sheet4 Patented Aug. 8, 1944 UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICALLYPROPELLED TRUCK Murray G. Clay, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Beardsley& Piper Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois ApplicationFebruary 19, 1943, Serial No. 476,474

1 Claim. (01. 19'112) The present invention relates generally to trucks.More particularly the invention relates to that type of truck which isadapted to travel along a track and has mounted thereon a reversibleelectric motor which serves to drive the truck in either direction alongthe track and is supplied with current by way of a cable having one endthereof connected to a stationary or fixed source of electric currentand its other end anchored to, and wound around, a rotatable reel on thetruck.

In a truck of this type the reel revolves so as to pay out the cablewhen the truck is propelled away from the source of electric current,and is reversely revolved so as to eifect wind up of the cable when thetruck is propelled toward the current source.

One object of theinventionis to provide a truck of the type underconsideration having novel and improved mechanism for controllingoperation of the cable reel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a truck of the lastmentioned character in which the control mechanism for the reelmaintains the cable under uniform tension at all times andincludes aslip type friction clutch, the driven member of which is fixedlyconnected to the reel and the drive member of which is connected to themotor by a ratchet drive of such character that it is driven only inconnection with propulsion of the truck toward the current source.

A further object of the invention is to provide a truck of the lastmentioned character in which the mechanism for controlling the cablereel includes a ratchet for automatically locking the drive member ofthe clutch against drive or rotation when the truck is propelled awayfrom the current source. When the drive member of the clutch is lockedby the ratchet in connection with drive of the truck away from thecurrent source the cable unwinds from, and rotates the reel due toslippage of the clutch, and the clutch slippage results in theapplication of uniform tension on the cable.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an electricallypropelled truck which is generally of new and improved design orconstruction and is characterized by durability and exceptionally highefficiency, I

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages andcharacteristics of the present truck will be apparent from aconsideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which arehereinafter set forth and are more particularly definedby the claim atthe conclusion hereof.

In the drawings which accompany and forma part of this specification ordisclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote correspondingparts throughout the several views:

Figure .1 is a perspective ofa truck embodying the invention; .7

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view showing the manner in which therotatable cable reel is supported on the truck and illustrating indetail the design and arrangement of the means for controlling operationof the reel;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken, I

on the line 33of Figure 2 andshowing the arrangement of the electricmotor and the manner in which the motor is connected to drive thetraction wheels of the truck;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line l-4 ofFigure 2 andillustrating the design and construction of the cable reeland the mount therefor and showing. in detail the slip type frictionclutch forming part of the mecha nism for controlling operation of thereel in con-.

nection with propulsion of the truck;

Figure 5 is a side view of the ratchet drive which is included in thereel controlling mechanism and serves to drive the driven member of theclutch in connection with propulsion of the truck toward the source ofcurrent; and i Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section on the line 66of Figure 5.

The truck which is shown in the drawings constitutes the preferred formor embodiment of the invention. Although it has manycapabilities of 1use the truck is primarily designed to form a part of a mold or flaskfilling machine like that disclosed in, and forming-the subject matterof,

United States Patent No. 1,774,076, dated August. 26, 1930. Such amachine embodies in addition to the truck a sand hopper with an openbottom, a horizontally extending endless conveyor beneath the hopper, anupstanding bucket conveyor at the discharge end of theendlessconveyor-,and a rotary projector for forming the sand that is deliveredby the bucket conveyor into wads andslinging such wads into subjacentmolds or flasks,

and these parts or elements are mounted 'on the truck. 7 The improvedtruck is adapted to travel along a track in the form of a pair ofparallel, laterally spaced rails l and comprises as its main orprincipal parts a rectangular, horizontal frame- 8, a pair of railengaging traction wheels 9 at the rear end of the frame, a pair ofwheels (not shown) at the front end of the frame, a three frame 8comprises a, pair of vertically extending channel beams I5, and a pairof parallel, laterally spaced, longitudinally extending lower channelbeams I6. The beams I5-are disposed in opposed relation and are locatedinwards of the rear ends of the channel beams I4. They support thechannel beams I4 and have the upper ends thereof welded or otherwisefixedly secured to the bottom flanges of said channel beams I4. Thelower channel beams I6 are located beneath, and are secured to, thelower ends of the beams I5. The traction wheels 9 are mounted on theends of a horizontally extending axle IT. The latter extendstransversely of the truck frame 8 and is journalled in bearings I8 whichare disposed in, and carried by, a tubular member I9. The ends of theshaft I! project beyond the ends of the tubular member I9, as shown inFigure 3. The tubular member I9 extends through a pair of aligned holes26 in the lower channel beams I6 of the frame 8. Longitudinaldisplacement of the tubular member I9 relatively to the frame isprevented, by a ring shaped or annular plate 2% and this, as shown inFigure 3, is welded to the tubular member I9 and is bolted to the web ofone of the channel beams I6.

The electric motor I9 is located between the vertically extendingchannel beams I5 of the frame 8 and is supported by way of a resilientmounting (not shown) on a horizontally extending bar 22. It embodies anarmature shaft 23 and is arranged so that such shaft extends lengthwiseof the truck frame 8. The motor sup porting bar 22 extends between, andis connected to, the upper portions of the lower channel beams I6 of theframe 8.

The gear mechanism I I for driving the traction wheels 9 from theelectric motor In comprises a worm and worm gear type speed reducingunit 24, a drive shaft 25 and a pair of chain and sprocket connections26. The speed reducing unit 24 is disposed behind the electric motor I9and comprises a housing 21 in which the worm and worm gear thereof arehoused. The worm is in mesh with the worm gear and is connected to, anddriven by, the armature shaft 23 of the electric motor Ill. The driveshaft 25 is disposed transversely of the truck frame 8 and is supportedat'the' ends thereof by way of a pair of bearings 28. The centralportion of the drive shaft extends through the housing 2! of the speedreducing unit 24 and carries the worm gear of the unit. The bearings 28are supported by brackets 29 on the rear ends of the lower channel beamsI6 of the frame 8. The chain and sprocket connections 26 serve to drivethe traction wheels 9 from the drive shaft 25 and consists' of sprocketwheels 39, sprocket wheels 3I and endless chains 32. The sprocket wheels36 are keyed or otherwise fixedly secured to the ends of the drive shaft25 and are disposed outwards of the bearings 28. The sprocket wheels 3isurround the ends of the tubular element 59 and are connected by way ofbolts 33 to the inner faces of the hub portions of the traction wheels9. The chains 32 are trained around the sprocket wheels 30 and 3|, asshown in Figures 2 and 3. When the electric motor Ii! is driven in onedirection the mechanism I I operates to drive the traction wheels 9 soas to effect propulsion of the truck in one direction along the track.Reverse drive of the electric motor operates through the medium of themechanism II reversely to propel the truck along the track.

The cable I2 comprises a plurality of current conducting wires within anouter wrapping, and has one end thereof connected to a stationary orfixed current source at one end of the track. The other end of the cableis anchored to, and wrapped around the reel l3.

The reel I3 is located at the rear end of the frame 8 and is disposedbetween a pair of vertically extending plates 34. The upper ends ofthese plates are connected to the rear ends of the upper channel beamsI4 of the frame 8. The reel I3 comprises a cylindrical side wall 35 anda pair of circular end walls 36 and 3'! and is supported rotatably byway of a shaft 38. The cyl indrical side wall 35 extends transversely ofthe truck frame 8 and has a pair of outwardly extending rings 39 at itsends. These rings serve to hold the cable on the side wall 35 of thereel. The end wall 36 extends across, and is secured to, one end of theside wall 35 and has a hole 40 in its central portion. A hub M is boltedto the hole defining portion of the end wall 36. The other end wall, i.e., the end wall 31 of the reel I3, extends across, and is secured to,the other end of the cylindrical side wall 35 and is spaced inwards fromthe other end of said wall in order to define a compartment 42. Thecentral portion of the end wall 31 is provided with a circular hole 43and this is positioned in axial alignment with the hole 40 in thecentral portion of the end wall 36. A hub 44, like the hub 4!, is boltedto the hole defining portion of the end wall 31. The reel supportingshaft 38 extends longitudinally through the central portion of thecylindrical side wall 35 and has reduced ends which extend through, andserve rotatably to support, the hubs 4| and 44. As shown in Figure 4,the reduced ends of the shaft 38 project outwards of the hubs M and 44and are mounted in socket type brackets 45 on the lower portions of theinner faces of the plates 34. Cap screws 46 extend through the plates 34and into internally threaded sockets in the reduced ends of the shaft 38and serve to hold the shaft in fixed relation with the frame of thetruck. The inner ends of the hubs M and 44 abut against shoulders 41 atthe inner ends of the reduced ends of the shaft 33 and 00- act therewithto prevent axial displacement of the reel I3 with respect to the shaft38. The end of the cable I2 that is applied to the reel I3 e te ds t ouh a hole 48 in the reel side wall 35 and leads into the compartment 42.The ends of the wires at such end of the cable are electricallyconnected to brushes 49 which are supported on an insulated rod 54 andengage slip rings ti on the end of the reel supporting shaft 38 that isdisposed in the compartment 42. The brush carrying rod 50 is disposed inparallel relation with the reel supporting shaft 38 and is fixedlyconnected to the hub 44. The slip rings 5I are suitably insulated fromthe adjacent end of the shaft 38 and are electrically connected to thereversible electric motor In as well as the various other electricallyoperated units which are mounted on, or associated with, the truck.

The mechanism for controlling operation of the reel 13 extends betweenthe shaft 25 and the hub 4| at the central portion of the reel end wall36. reel so as to effect wind up of the cable around the cylindricalside wall 35 thereof when the truck is propelled by the electric motorI!) in the direction of the current source. It also operates when thetruck is propelled in the opposite direc tion, 1. e., away from thecurrent source, to permit the reel reversely to revolve and effect payout of the cable [2. As hereinafter described, the mechanism so controlsthe reel that the cable is maintained under uniform tension at alltimes. As its main or principal parts the reel control ling mechanismcomprises a one way ratchet drive 52, a chain and sprocket connection53,5." slip type friction clutch 54 and a ratchet 55. The ratchet drive52 operates through the medium of the chain and sprocket connection 53and the clutch 54 to drive the reel so as to effect wind up of the cablewhen the truck is propelled toward the source of current to which theone end of the cable is connected. It consists of a ratchet wheel 56 and'a pawl 51. The ratchet wheel extends around, and is journaled on, areduced cylindri cal stem 58 on the adjacent end of the drive shaft 25.It is disposed outwards of the adjacent sprocket wheel 30. The pawl 51is associated with, and carried by, an arm 59. This arm. surrounds, andis keyed to, the adjacent end of the drive shaft 25 and projectsradially therefrom. The outer end of the arm 59 is provided with atransversely extending pivot pin 60 and the pawl 51, as shown in Figures5 and 6, is pivotally mounted on this pin, and is arranged so that itengages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 56. A tension springfil isapplied to the pawl 5'! and serves to hold the pawl in engagement withthe teeth .of the ratchet wheel. The pawl and ratchet wheelconstitutingthe ratchet drive 52 are so arranged that the ratchet wheelis driven by, and rotates conjointly with, the drive shaft 25 when thelat- It operates to revolve or rotate the ter is driven by the electricmotor in connection 7 with propulsion of the truck in the direction ofthe current source. When the shaft 25 is reversely driven in connectionwith propulsion of the truck away from the current source the ratchetwheel 55 remains stationary on the shaft 25 and the pawl 51 rotatesfreely around the ratchet wheel. Because of the arrangement of theratchet wheel and pawl the reel is driven by the electric motor If! onlywhen the truck is propelled towards the current source. The chain andsprocket connection 53 extends between the ratchet wheel 55 and the sliptype friction clutch 54 and consists of a sprocket wheel 62, a sprocketwheel 53 and an endless chain 64. The sprocket wheel 52 is mounted onthe reduced stem 58 of the drive shaft 25 and is fixedly connected tothe ratchet wheel 56 on the ratchet drive 52 by way of cap screws 65. Aplate 66 is bolted to the outer extremity of the stem 58 and serves tohold the ratchet wheel 56 and the sprocket wheel 52 against axialdisplacement with respect to the stem. The sprocket wheel 63 surroundsthe adjacent end of the supporting shaft 38 for the reel 13, is disposedoutwards of the hub 4| and constitutes the drive member of the slip typefriction clutch 54. The endless chain 64 is trained around the twosprocket wheels 62 and 63 and serves to drive the sprocket wheel 63 fromthe sprocket wheel 62 when the ratchet wheel 56 is driven by the pawl 51in connection with propulsion of the truck towards the current source.The chain and sprocket connection 53 is so designed that in connectionwith drive thereof by the ratchet drive 52 it tends to drive the reel l3at a slightly greater speed than it can take or wind up the cable l2. Asa result of this the reel, due to action of the slip type clutch 54,slips in connection with drive thereof during propul-' sion of the trucktowards the current supply and hence'places the cable l2 under tension.The slip clutch 54 comprises a hub 61 and a pair of ringshaped clutchplates 68. The hub is disposed outwards of the end wall 36 of the reell3 and is connected by screws69 to the peripheral portion of the hub 4i.It is disposed in substantially the same vertical plane as the'chain andsprocket connection 53 and embodies an outwardly extending annularflange 1B. The latter fits within a circular hole H in the centralportion of the sprocket wheel 63. The clutch plates 68 are disposed onopposite sides of the sprocket wheel 53 and have the inner marginalportions thereof disposed in straddled relation with the flange I0.Bolts 12 extend through the flange and said inner marginal portions ofthe clutch plates and serve to connect the plates and hub for conjointrotation'while at the same time permitting the plates to move sidewisetoand from the sprocket wheel 63. Compression springs I3 are mounted onthe shanks of the bolts 12 and serve to urge the clutch plates 68towards one another and into frictional engagement withv the sides ofthe sprocket wheel 63. The compression of .the springs and, therefore,the resulting friction be-v tween the clutch plates 68 and thesprocketwheel 63, may be varied by adjustment of bolts 12. The hub 6?and the clutch plates 68 contitute the driven member of the slip typefriction clutch 54. When the sprocket wheel 63 is over driven inconnection with drive of the reel l3 for. cable wind up purposes itslips relatively to the clutch plates 58. The ratchet 55 serves to lockagainst rotation the sprocket wheel 63 constituting the drive member ofthe clutch when thetruckis propelled away from the source of current. Itis in the form of a pawl 14. The latter is pivotally mounted on a pin 75and this. as shown in Figure 2, is carried by a plate 16 on the lowerend of the plate 34 that is adjacent the slip type friction clutch 54.The distal end of the pawl is provided with a cross pin Tl which rideson the teeth of the sprocket wheel 53. A tension spring 18 is applied tothe pawl 14 and serves to hold the pin 11 in engagement with the teethof the sprocket wheel 53. The pawl 14 constituting the ratchet 55 is soarranged that it permits the sprocket wheel to rotate in connection withdrive thereof during propulsion of the truck towards the electriccurrent source but looks the ratchet wheel 63 against rotation inconnection with propulsion of the truck away from the current source.When the sprocket wheel 63 is locked by the pawl 14 during propulsion ofthe truck away from the current source the reel revolves due to slippageof the clutch 54 and thus permits the cable to be paid out. Because ofthe action of the clutch there is a drag on the reel during pay out ofthe cable in connection with propulsion of the truck away from thecurrent source and hence the cable is maintained under tension. Byhaving the cable under tension at alltimes it winds and unwinds freelyand the part thereof The operation of the truck is as follows: When itis desired to propel the truck toward Y the source of current to whichthe one end of the cable I2 is attached the electric motor H3 isoperated so as to effect proper drive of the traction wheels 9 throughthe medium of the speed reducing unit 24, the drive shaft 25 and thechain and sprocket connections 26. As soon as drive of the shaft 25commences the ratchet drive 52 operates through the medium of the chainand sprocket connection 53 and the slip type friction clutch 54 to drivethe reel 43 so as to efiect wind up of the cable I 2 therearound.Because the sprocket wheel 63 is driven at a speed in excess of thecable take up speed of the reel the reel slips with respect to thesprocket wheel 63 and hence causes winding of the cable [2 undertension. During a cable winding operation in cennection with propulsionof the truck towards the current source the pawl 74 constituting theratchet 55 slides over the teeth of said sprocket wheel 53. When it isdesired to propel the truck away from the current source the electricmotor I is driven so as to efiect proper drive of the traction wheels 9.When the drive shaft 25 is driven in connection with propulsion of thetruck away from the current source there is no drive of the chain andsprocket connection 53 due to the arrangement of the ratchet drive 52,and the sprocket wheel 63 is locked against rotation by the action ofthe pawl 14 constituting the ratchet 55. During travel of the truck awayfrom the current source the reel l3, as previously pointed out, revolvesfor cable paying out purposes due to the slip action of the frictionclutch L4.

The herein described truck possesses a high degree of efiiciency due tothe action and operation of the mechanism for controlling the cablesupporting reel and such mechanism is characterized by the fact that atall times it maintains the cable under uniform or constant tension.

Whereas the truck has been described as being primarily designed for usein connection with a flask filling machineof the type forming thesubject matter of Patent No. 1,774,076 it is to be understood that itmay be employed in many other capacities. It is also to be understoodthat the invention is not to be restricted to the details set forthsince these may be modified within the scope of the appended claimWithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

A truck adapted to travel along a track and comprising a fram with trackengaging wheels, a reversible electric motor mounted on the frame andconnected to certain of the wheels so that it operates when driven inone direction to propel the truck in one direction along the track andwhendriven reversely to propel the truck in the opposite direction alongthe track, a reel rotatably mounted on said frame, a cable for supplyingcurrent to the motor; having one nd thereof adapted for connection to afixed source of current adjacent the track and its other end anchoredto, and wound around, the reel, a slip type friction clutch disposedadjacent one end of the reel and embodying a drive member in the form ofa sprocket wheel and in addition a driving member connected fixedly tothe reel, means including a ratchet drive connected to be driven by themotor when the latter is driven so as to propel the truck toward thesource and also including an endless chain connected for drive by saidratchet drive and extending around the sprocket wheel, and operativewhen driven to drive the sprocket wheel constituting the drive member ofthe clutch so as to revolve the reel for cable take up purposes, and aspring pressed pawl applied to the teeth of the sprocket wheel andarranged to lock said sprocket wheel against reverse drive.

MURRAY G. CLAY.

